Hissy Fit

I love this he-done-her-wrong tale that starts out with the heroine utterly destroying her rehearsal dinner (via the titular hissy-fit) just because she caught her intended Doing The Nasty with the maid of honor. From that point on, she's a sassy, take-no-prisoners force of nature as the groom's wealthy family attempts to ruin her interior design business and she takes on an impossible job with an impossibly sexy new client. Andrews' best, IMO.

This is one hilarious book. I had read Savanah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews and enjoyed it so tried another - this one. From the first chapter I completely sympathized with Keeley, Andrew's gutsy, impulsive and creative main character. I kept hoping that Keeley wouldn't back down and get back together with her teen-aged boy, in a man's body, ex-fiance. Andrews does a great job of giving readers a sense of the culture of the south and the mindframe that exists in a tightly knit, small town community. If you are looking for a fun fast read this is it.

Great, fun book! I enjoyed this book so much, I literally couldn't put it down. I read the whole book in one day! I loved the southern sass and the spunk of Keeley. Add the beautiful old antebellum mansion Keeley is remodeling and the mystery of her mom missing and you have a story you are quickly wrapped up in....a true page turner!

Digital audio read by Moira Driscoll

From the book jacket Keeley Murdock’s wedding to A.J. Jernigan should have been the social event of the season. But when she catches her fiancé doing the deed with her maid of honor at the country club rehearsal dinner, all bets are off. And so is the wedding. Keeley pitches the hissy fit of the century, earning herself instant notoriety in the small town of Madison, Georgia. Even worse is the financial pressure A.J.’s banking family brings to bear on Keeley’s interior design business. Enter a redheaded stranger – in a vintage yellow Cadillac – who’s purchased the local bra factory and a derelict antebellum mansion, which he hires Keeley to redo.

My reactions
Even before I read the jacket show more blurb, I knew I was in for a light, fun, fast, chick lit, beach read. And that’s exactly what I got. Mary Kay Andrews knows how to write in this genre and she does a fine job of it. The central characters are likeable (or not, as required … I’m looking at you, A.J. and Stephanie), and the plot is supported by a cast of eccentric older folks, wise and tolerant parents, and friends and acquaintances who help Keeley and take a keen interest in her personal life. Andrews includes a bit of a mystery subplot, which I felt distracted from the central romantic tension. But that’s okay … we need both sugar and salt in our reading diet.

It’s a fast, fun romp of a novel. Grab some iced tea and your sunglasses and set yourself up on a beach chair to enjoy.

Moira Driscoll did a fine job of performing the audio. Her southern accent was spot on, and she really brought the large cast of characters alive. show less

Pretty cute little book. It's not Mary Kay Andrews' best, but it was still entertaining.

It did have me pondering. I wonder why women like to read about revenge on the ex-spouse, -boyfriend, -fiance or whatever. Is it cheap therapy? Can we say that this book is a fist of power?

Despite the silly title and pastel cover, I think this book is smarter and better written than the average chick lit book (I don’t read a lot of chick lit, so I could be wrong about this).

Keeley Murdoch is a smart, headstrong , interior designer who catches her fiancé and her best friend having sex at her wedding rehearsal dinner, and then proceeds to throw a hissy fit, hence the title. The rest of the book she goes about putting her life back together throwing herself into her work designing and furnishing an old mansion for her new client, the equally headstrong Will Mahoney.

There is the standard gay friend, lots of description about beautiful furniture, and a little mystery too when Keeley decides to find out what ever happened show more to her mother after she ran off with another man when Keeley was 7.

Keeley questions her ideas about love, marriage, and fidelity, giving the story some thoughtful reflection.

This is definitely not a bodice-ripper, and very little sex is in it per se. If you’re looking for that book, this isn’t it. But if you are looking for a light, well-written, fun read for the pool, beach or vacation this should do the trick. show less

Mary Kay Andrews wrote Savannah Blues, a book that I really really liked. Hissy Fit is the book that has convinced me to strike Andrews from my reading list.
Briefly, it's the story of interior designer Keeley Murdock, who throws a 'hissy fit' when she finds her fiancee and her maid of honor doing the deed at the country club rehearsal dinner.
This seems to be a book that tries to capitalize on the current interest in decorating and shopping that fuels HGTV. It's page after page of descriptions of furniture, rooms, shoes, clothes, food....I love all that....but this is more than even a dedicated shopper, gourmet, home decorator can take.
My suggestion? Find yourself a chocolate cupcake and a glass of milk, and just go on and turn on HGTV.